Shinobi: The Iron Code
by Izuna Otoshi
Summary: ~*Chapter 8 up*~ A young fighter will go on the journey that will change his life.... R&R!
1. The Beginning

Author's note: Heya, this is my first DOA based fanfic. None of the characters belong to me, except for my created originals. The story begins somewhere between the beginning and the midpoint of DOA3, and continues from there. There may be **spoilers** present if one has not played through the DOA games. Also, quotes and phrases in Japanese will be followed by a translation in this format: "*"

i.e. "Ikuze!" *"Let's go!"

Well then, read on!

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Shinobi: The Iron Code Chapter 1: The Beginning 

"Wake up.....hey, get up!!"

"Uhh....whaa....?"

"The tournament starts in an hour! You're going to be late!"

Young Ren Hokunaki turned over, forcing himself to raise his head to look at the alarm clock on his nearby desk. He had set it the night before to wake him at 7 a.m.

"9:54....why didn't this stupid thing go off!?"

Ren's grandfather came to the door, peeking into the room.

"Well, it doesn't matter now...."

Ren climbed out of bed, dashing to the bathroom for a quick shower. He dressed, then pratically flew down the stairs into the kitchen. Oh great, it was already 10:19. Would they still be able to make it before the tournament started? His grandfather followed him.

"Want some breakfast before we go?"

Ren shook his head quickly, at the same time opening the refridgerator and grabbing a carton of orange juice. 

"No time."

The Japanese-American guzzled the juice for a few moments, then tossing it back into the fridge. He went over to a nearby mirror, making sure everything was straight. His baggy black denim jeans and red shirt looked like they could use some ironing. Oh well, he'd be wearing a gi anyway during the tournament. He quickly ran a hand through his short, curly/spiky black hair, his dark brown eyes full of anticipation. He made sure his black fingerless gloves were strapped on tight, the laces of his gym shoes tied. He went into the nearby closet to grab his black duffle bag, and slung the strap over his shoulder. Finally, it was time to go. He went to the door, calling to his grandfather.

"Ok, let's go."

A few minutes later, they were in the car, on their way to the tournament site, Ren's dojo. The streets of Los Angeles were unusually quiet. Not many motorists out today. Good. They could get there quicker. The 16 year old Ren glanced anxiously at the clock on the dashboard of his grandfather's old car. 10:41. They were just barely going to make it. Finally, they pulled into the parking lot, and walked inside. Ren walked at a brisk pace, headed for the changing room. He encountered a few of the other students on the way. A couple boys Ren was friends with.

"Ren....you're just now getting here!? You better hurry up!"

"Yeah, most of the other students are here already! The tournament's gonna start in a couple minutes!"

Ren nodded, then walked off, finally reaching the changing room, while his grandfather went on to find a seat in the audience. Ren hurriedly changed into his white gi, tossing his other clothes into the bag. Finally ready, he walked out, into the main hall of the dojo, where the other students were sitting. His Sensei, Mr. Sharpe, gave him a quick, stern look as Ren took his seat. So, this was it. The National Martial Arts Tournament. Students of many different forms of martial arts were gathering here, for a test of skill. Sensei Sharpe made sure everyone was present, and then the tournament began. 3 large mats were brought out. Ren glanced at the girl next to him, Jessica. She smiled at him, her dark brown hair in a ponytail, light hazel colored eyes bright.

"Wow....there's a lot of people here, Ren. I hope we can do well!"

Ren smirked. He was confident.

"Jess.....don't worry! Our Kenpo can take anything they throw at us!"

"Hm..."

They both faced forward to watch as students were called up to face each other. Ren took notice of the many different styles on display. The whole experience was exciting. Ren smiled as he heard Jessica's name called.

"You're up. Knock that guy out!"

"Ok!"

Jessica rose, somewhat timidly, walking to the leftmost ring. A boy about her size followed behind, as they both took their places and stances on the mat. Ren studied the boy's stance.

"Looks like Tae Kwon Do...."

The fight began. The boy lashed out with rapid side kicks, but Jessica dodged to the side catching one of his legs and countering with an elbow to his gut. She quickly followed up with a jump kick before he could even react. He was floored. Jessica smiled, hands on hips. The first round was hers. The boy rose, seemingly angry at himself for falling so quickly. He took his stance, as the second round began. Jessica came at him with two quick punches aimed for the nose, which the boy blocked. He attacked with a quick side kick, hitting Jessica near the hip. She stepped over awkwardly seeing the boy  bring his leg forward for an attempted high kick. She spun, ducking low with a sweep. The boy was suprised, and fell to the mat again. The fight was over. Jessica bowed, then took her seat next to Ren, grin on her face.

"Good job! The poor sap didn't know what hit him!"

Jessica laughed. Ren's name was called.

"Good luck Ren!"

The Japanese-American walked to the rightmost mat, looking for his opponent. It was a skinny boy, but slightly taller than him. No problem. They bowed to each other, Ren taking his left-handed stance as the boy dropped into stance. the fight began. The boy obviously used a form of Jeet Kun Do. He attacked Ren with a series of quick jabs. Ren ducked under some, blocked others. He countered by grabbing the boy's outstretched arm, and flipping him over the shoulder, hard onto the mat. The point was his. Second round. Ren attacked with a quick kick to the head, the boy blocked with his arm, punching Ren with his free hand. Ren staggered back, avoiding a powerful high kick. Ren dashed forward, but was kept at bay by the boy's quick jabs. Ren then devised a plan on the fly, running forward. He ducked under the oncoming quick punches, focusing his strength into his right hand. He yelled, fiercely unleashing with a power punch, aimed at the chest. It connected cleanly, flooring the boy about 2 dash steps away. Fight over. Ren bowed, taking his seat.

"Heh, I told you. They can't face up to us!"

The tournament wore on, as more fighters were eliminated. It had come down to the semi-finals. Two boys fought, the winner would move on the the finals. The larger, more burly boy won by submission. Ren was called up. He'd have to fight someone, the winner would face the large boy in the finals.....but who would it be? Ren looked at his Sensei as he walked to the mat.

"Jessica."

Jessica rose, coming to the mat to take her stance. Ren cocked his eyebrow abit, but fell into stance. Jessica was firm, her eyes focused.

"Don't hold back, ok?"

"Ok."

Their fight began. Ren took a step back, cautious as to what Jessica would do. She lunged at him, a mid-ranged punch. Ren blocked it, kicking at Jessica's shins. She hopped back, nearly stumbling. Ren didn't let up, following after her with a kick to the gut. Jessica dodged this to the side, but Ren had anticipated this, turning on his heel to transform the front kick into a low roundhouse. This hit Jessica in the rib, sending her to the mat. The point was his. Second round. Ren tried another mid kick, Jessica dodging to the side, but grabbing the leg and forcing it to the ground, forcing Ren to turn his back and lose balance. She took this advantage to lash out with two quick punches and a forceful kick, all pinpointed to one spot on his back. Ren took these, falling forward to the mat. Jessica won the round. Final round. Ren came forth with a high palm strike, Jessica caught him by the wrist, sinking a fist into his gut. Ren winced on the fist's impact, but smirked. With Jessica still holding his left arm which had attack with the palm, he grabbed Jessica's arm, the fist still in his gut. He then rolled backward, using momentum to flip Jessica over him, to land flat on her back on the mat. The fight was over. Ren won. Both fighters rose, and bowed to each other. Ren would be going to the finals. They both walked to the side of the hall together, Ren going to take a short break before the final match.

"Jess.....that was a good fight! You were _amazing_ back there! If I hadn't flipped you, you probably would be in the finals right now."

Jessica smiled.

"You did good yourself. You're an incredible fighter. I hope you win it!"

Ren scratched at his hair, seeing his Grandfather wave to him from the stands. Only one more match to go. He spotted the boy he would be up against across the room, staring at him intently. Ren smirked. He would enjoy the finals.


	2. The Finals

Chapter 2:

The Finals

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"So, you think you can beat him? He's no pushover..."

Ren smirked. The final match of the tournament was to begin in 15 minutes. He and some of his friends were standing out in a nearby hallway. Ren leaned against the wall, his arms folded.

"Look, he's big. That means, he's gonna be slow, right? All I need is a few good speed strikes to wear him down, then finishing up will be child's play."

Jessica smiled at him, playfully punching him in the shoulder.

"Always the confident one..."

Ren looked at her, remaining silent. He looked at the faces of all his friends. They were all smiling. Proud of him.

They'd all be rooting for him. He couldn't let them down....he wouldn't. He shook his head.

"I won't..." he whispered, under his breath. One of the boys cocked an eyebrow.

"....Something wrong?"

Ren tensed briefly, looking at the boy. His gaze turned into a reassuring one.

"Nothing. Look, it's almost time for the match to begin. I'm gonna head back in there to get ready."

With that, Ren turned, walking back into the main hall of the dojo. The time was nearly at hand. He glanced around the room, at all the people awaiting the match. He'd make sure it was interesting. Ren then scanned the floor of the arena, spotting his opponent spar with someone from his school. It looked like they were using a form of Karate. Ren sat down at the far side of the room, cross-legged. He watched them spar. Suddenly, a whistle blew. It was time.

Ren stood, walking to the center mat. He looked back briefly, and saw his friends watching from the front row of the stands. He faced forward again, locking eye contact with his opponent. The boy was big...both taller and bulkier than him. But that wouldn't be a problem. The boy had an annoying grin on his face. Ren made a mental promise to erase that grin. They bowed to the Sensei, then to each other. The fight began. The bigger boy rushed forward almost instantly, flanking Ren with a series of punches and elbow strikes. Ren was suprised, having to take a few of the attacks, though he was able to block a few. Ren hopped back, taking a defensive stance.

"_Shimatta.... *Damn it... He's quick too_!?"

Ren shook his head, stepping forward with 2 swift palm strikes, each aimed for the chest. The boy blocked both, ducking low to ram an elbow into Ren's stomach. Ren stumbled back, but hit the boy in the forhead with a side kick. Ren ran forward, leaping into the air with 2 kicks. The larger boy deceptively dodged around, nailing Ren in the back with a punch before he could even land. This hit easily knocked Ren off balance, to the mat. After realizing that he lost the first round, Ren angrily pushed his upper body up off the mat by his palms, punching down on the mat with fury. He rose quickly, a fire in his hazel eyes. The other boy chuckled, taking stance again. Ren's ears then picked up a familiar voice.

"C'mon Ren, you can beat him!!"

It sounded like Jessica. Ren took stance, awaiting the start of the next round. It came, Ren blazing forward with 3 quick punches, all hitting their mark, the boy's round gut. The bigger boy retaliated, grabbing Ren's arm, trying to flip him over his shoulder to quickly bring an end to the fight. Ren recovered once over his shoulder, landing effortlessly on his feet, driving an elbow into the boy's back. The boy stumbled forward, nearly dropping to his knee, but recovered just in time. The large boy spun on his heel, wildly swinging a fist. Ren ducked under, at the same time spinning into a low sweep. The bg boy landed on his back, signifying the end of the round. Ren uttered a small "hmph" as the boy rose. They both dropped into stance. The final round was set to begin. 

"_This is it. I HAVE to win."_

 The round began. Ren lunged forward with out warning, a heated punch flashing out to cleanly connect at the chin. The boy's head snapped back, neither fighter moving for a moment or two. As Ren retracted his fist, he noticed that the boy was smiling. 

_"SMILING!?"_

The bigger boy recentered himself, kicking at Ren's shins. Ren hopped up and backwards to avoid the kicks. Upon landing, Ren attacked with a high kick. The boy ducked under, rising with an uppercut-type punch. Ren blocked with his arms, but was suddenly kicked in the chest, knocked back. Ren never lost balance, though the boy followed after him, attacking with yet another kick to the shin. Ren hopped over the kick, spinning in air to do an aerial roundhouse. It connected, as the larger boy spun around. However, Ren didn't notice that the boy was using the momentum to his advantage, as the boy did a high speed roundhouse kick, aimed straight for Ren's jaw. Ren noticed the attack, but it was too late. The kick nailed him, lifting him off his feet to twirl a full rotation in air before crashing to the ground.

It was over.

Ren laid there for a moment. It slowly sank in that he'd lost. He couldn't BELIEVE it! He glanced up, his friends had worried looks on their faces. He was ok, just temporarily stunned. He slowly got up, wiping a bit of blood from his lip, and made his way to where his Sensei and the stupid boy were standing. He heard the high-picthed scream of microphone feedback momentarily, as the tournament organizer cleared his throat, preparing to speak.

"First place....Maximillian Smith. Second place....Ren Hokunaki. Congratulations to both fighers. Both finalists are invited to attend the International Tournament, currently scheduled for Japan in the coming weeks, all expenses paid. In the meantime, please enjoy these complimentary plane tickets and free passes to the next round of the DOA tournament, located at the X Octagon."

Despite the pain, Ren smiled. There would be another tournament to fight in... That meant he'd be able to get his revenge on that idiot. Max. He couldn't wait. Besides, they were going to the X Octagon! He'd always wanted to go. He'd be able to see some truly extraordinary fighting there. Maybe even pick up a move, a new tactic or two. He got his tickets, and invited his friends to go. Of course, they accepted. His grandfather smiled at him once they returned home.

"You did very well...." 

"Yeah....but I didn't win." Ren sat down on the counch, grabbing the remote to flick on the television.

"But, you got free tickets to an event, and the invitiation to the next tournament."

"Yeah...."

Ren closed his eyes, but became alert when the newscasters mentioned the DOA tournament.

"In other news, the 3rd Dead or Alive tournament is kicking full force! Fighters from around the world gather at various locations to compete in the World Combat Championship, testing their fighting skills. On Saturday, a few of the fighters will be meeting at the X Octagon, courtesy of DOATEC. It's sure to be an exciting event."

Ren smirked, leaning back on the couch.

"Heh.....and I've got tickets."


	3. X Octagon

Author's Note: Heh, I figured I should probably start tying this story in more with the DOA series around here... so read it! Tell me what you think! ^_^

**Chapter 3: X Octagon**

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A dark forest in Japan. All is silent, but suddenly, a few quick gusts of wind, and pounding footsteps can be heard. There are 2 figures, dressed in all white, running through the forest, at high speed. The two run for a while, then come to a temple-like setting, where they are greeted by another man, dressed in white. This man had long, auburn hair, and deep hazel eyes. He folded his arms, as the two men kneeled before him.

"Anything?"

"Nothing, my lord. We couldn't find her."

"I see... very well. You are dismissed."

The two ninja rose, leaving the presence of the other man. He nodded as the two left, looking toward the moon. Ayane was still out, checking the East Section of the forest. she'd be returning soon. Sure enough, he heard her leaping through the trees toward him, landing a bit off to his side. The man turned, remaining silent.

"Hayate-sama....She's nowhere to be found. The East Section is clear."

"Ok Ayane. Thank you for searching."

Hayate turned to walk away, but Ayane called out to him.

"Hayate..."

"Yes?"

"I can't sense her presence anymore. I don't think she's even here..."

"Hmm....wasn't there a round of the Dead or Alive Tournament scheduled for America?"

"I think so.....she was probably to appear there."

"Hm.....she'll be back."

Ayane nodded, as she and Hayate then walked together into the shrine.

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Saturday couldn't come quick enough. But finally, it came. Ren's alarm clock went off that morning, waking him at 6:00 a.m. The plane they was scheduled to depart from the LAX airport in Los Angeles at 8:00 a.m. to arrive at LGA in New York City right around 6:00 p.m. Ren heard sounds downstairs. That meant his grandfather was already up. Ren rolled out of bed, heading to the bathroom for a shower. After showering, he wrapped a silver towel around his waist, brushed his teeth, and combed his hair. Ren then went back to his room to dress. He threw on a dark blue shirt, along with his favorite blue jeans. Laced up his gym shoes, and tossed on a blue baseball cap. Ren's grandfather then appeared in the doorway.

"Ren, make sure you pack two days worth of clothes. Those plane tickets and free passes came with a free one night stay at a hotel. So, we'll be back here Sunday night."

Ren nodded, reaching for a black shirt with matching black denim jeans. He folded them, placing them into the duffle bag he usually used for martial arts. He removed the gi and other martial arts supplies, putting them in his closet. Ren then made sure he wasn't leaving behind anything important, then coming downstairs. Ren's father greeted him with a plate of bacon. Ren took a few, devouring them while his grandfather spoke.

"I already called your friends up, and made sure they were all ready to go."

"Told them about the two day thing?"

"Yes. We're going to pick them up."

Ren nodded again, gulping down a glass of orange juice. About 5 minutes later, they were out of the house, in the car, and on their way to pick up the first of three friends. By 6:30, they arrived at Jessica's house. She eagerly came out and stuffed her bag into the trunk, her parents waving her off. She slid into the backseat as Ren's grandfather pulled off.

"Hey Ren."

"What's up Jess?"

"I'm excited! I can't wait to get there..."

"Heh, me neither."

Soon, they arrived at Eric's house. Tony, the other friend, had stayed the night over Eric's, in order to save time. The two boys came out, putting their bags in the trunk, and climbing into the backseat. They arrived at the airport at 7:30. They showed their plane tickets to the guards and gate checks, and soon were on the plane. Ren and his friends went to the seats that faced each other, Ren's grandfather sitting nearby. It was easy to tell that all four were anxious. The plane took off 7 minutes late. The friends were ok for a while, but after the first 3 hours, they were beginning to show signs of boredom. Eric leaned back in his seat, looking out the window.

"So how long's this flight...?"

Ren looked up from a comic book to respond.

"Ten hours."

"Argh...."

"Look on the bright side. At least it's a nonstop flight..."

"Yeah..."  

The hours slowly went on. Finally, they arrived in New York City. Everyone got their things, and got off the plane. As they were preparing to leave the airport, Ren looked at his grandfather, somewhat nervously.

"So, how are we gonna get around...?"

"Taxi, of course!"

"Meh..."

The group caught a taxi over to the hotel they would be staying at. It was nice. Clean, very elegant. Jessica looked at Ren's grandfather.

"Um...what are the sleeping arrangements, Mr. Hokunaki?"

Ren and the other boys all smirked, but she quickly shot them a glare.

"Well, we have 3 rooms. Each has two beds, except for one. Tony and Eric will share a room, Ren and I will share one, and you will have your own."

Jessica smiled sweetly at the old man, shooting another glare at the boys.

"Ok. Well, let's head up to the rooms to put our stuff up and get ready to go."

They all agreed, and went to their corresponding rooms. The event was scheduled to begin at 9:00 p.m.

The group met up in the hotel's main lobby, then caught a taxi to the Octagon. Upon arrival, they all showed their free passes to the guards, and were allowed in. They found their seats, right in the front row. They sat down, just as more people were starting to come in. At 9:00, an announcer came on over the P.A.

"Hello and welcome to the X Octagon!! We have a very special event for you today...some of the spectacular fighters of the 3rd Dead or Alive Tournament are here to showcase their skills!"

The crowd roared. Ren looked around the place. He liked the giant white DOA posters hanging on the walls. The main ring was fenced, with explosives and electrical wiring lining the chain link fences. The announcer continued.

"We have 3 matches scheduled. First up, we have the Dragon, Jann Lee, versus the Undefeated Wrestling champ, Bass Armstrong! Then, Bass's superstar daughter Tina Armstrong goes up against the Italian Mercenary, Leon! Finally, The beautiful Kunoichi *female ninja Kasumi and the German Karateka *Karate practitioner Hitomi, will face off!"

The crowd exploded once again. Ren couldn't wait for the fighting to start. He could feel the electricity in the air....but there was something about it, he couldn't quite put his finger on....looking at the crowd, he spotted Max, sitting directly across from him, on the other side of the arena. Max looked at Ren briefly, a wild grin on his face. Ren remembered their match. He then remembered the upcoming tournament. Revenge. Jessica looked at him, slight concern on her face.

"Ren....isn't that Max....over there?"

"Yeah, that's him. _The bastard..._"

 But, he wouldn't let that bother him now. He was here to enjoy the DOA tournament. The lights finally dimmed, as spotlights shone on the ring. The first fight was set to begin. 


	4. 3 Fights

Author's Note: Going on vacation for a few weeks. Apologies in advance for the delay of the next chapter.

**Chapter 4: 3 Fights**

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As Ayane and Hayate neared the shrine, they began to converse.

"Hayate...what will we do about the runaway?"

Hayate continued to walk forward, Ayane having to break into a brief jog to keep pace.

"We will worry about that when the time comes. But right now, we have more important matters on our hands."

Ayane looked down, her eyes becoming a bit pained. She didn't want Hayate to see her like this. She knew that he was talking about Genra...Genra needed to be eliminated. It was Hayate's responsibility as 18th Leader of the Mugen Tenshin clan to do the deed. But, she couldn't let that happen. She shook her head violently. She would deal with her foster father herself....it was fate. After the torment that DOATEC put him through during Project Omega, he deserved to die. Ayane didn't want Hayate involved...by now they had reached the shrine. Hayate was meditating near a gold statue, while Ayane stood leaning against a wall outside, peering in every once in a while. Ayane remembered what Hayate said: "Hm.....she'll be back." Why does that stupid girl keep risking her life? She wanted to see Hayate again...did she have a death wish!? Always stealing all the attention....even Hayate's. Ayane was tired of always living under Kasumi's shadow. Kasumi got all the praise, even as a runaway! It was pointless...

"Something wrong, Ayane?"

The voice came from the trees. It was Hayabusa. Ayane looked up quickly, and saw his face emerge from some of the leaves.

"Ayane...you're crying. What's the matter?"

Ayane shook her head again. It was none of his business. However, she'd tell him anyway.

"I was thinking about my father....Genra. I don't want to kill him, but I must. He is miserable."

"Hm...you're also thinking about your sister."

Hayabusa hopped down from his tree branch, to come face to face with Ayane. Ayane's eyes went wide for a moment, but her brows furrowed, as she looked away angrily, folding her arms.

"I don't care about her! Stupid runaway....I hope she never comes back!!"

Another tear rolled down Ayane's cheek.

"Ayane...I know that you're going through a lot right now. But, I also know that deep down, in your heart of hearts, you do care for your big sister."

"....Oh, what do you know!? Besides... she's going to be killed."

"She won't. Have you forgotten my promise to Hayate? I cannot stand by and let her die."

Ayane mumbled something under her breath, her whole body slightly shaking. Without warning, she broke off into a run, dissapearing into the forest. Hayabusa sighed, watching her go. At that moment. Hayate emerged from the shrine.

"Ryu...what's going on?"

"Ayane's upset. I think she's going to go kill Genra."

"I won't allow it!"

Hayate then leapt into the air, vanishing in a swirl of black feathers. Hayabusa sighed again, vanishing into a whirlwind of leaves. 

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A shadowed figure appeared in the walkway, and began to walk toward the ring. The spotlight was trained on him as he entered. It was Jann Lee. Ren heard many of the females in the room start to cheer. Jann was shirtless, with black, baggy pants, and yellow low top shoes on. The pants had the image of a golden dragon stitched in on one of the legs. Ren could feel Jann Lee's ki, his will to fight. It was incredible. He had the look of a true fighter. Jann Lee danced in place for a bit, striking the air a few times as Bass's hulking figure emerged from the shadows, with a heavy metal guitar riff blaring from the speakers as his accompaniment.Bass entered the ring, and the gate closed. Bass was wearing a white shirt, with black pants and a black jacket. He also wore sunglasses, and a black bandanna. Bass played to the crowd, flexing his muscles. A few moments later, electricity began to course throgh the wires lining the fences. The two warriors stared each other down, as their fight started.

Bass ran at Jann without warning, attempting a wild clothesline. Jann ducked effortlessly, yelling a war cry while swinging a fist back behind him to hit Bass in the back of the head. Bass was sent off his feet, flying into the fence. An explosion erupted on impact, causing Bass to rebound backward, onto the floor. He got up, a grin on his face. He walked toward Jann Lee, this time a bit more cautiously. Jann stuck out with a series of quick jabs. Bass blocked these with his arms, catching the last jab to lift the arm, slamming Jann to the floor forcefully. Jann rose with a sweep kick, dropping Bass to the ground. As Bass got up, Jann Lee grabbed at Bass's arm, lifting him up. He then grabbed Bass's leg, hoisted him onto his shoulders, and with a low voiced growl, flipped him onto the cold metal floor. Jann then follwed up with a soccer kick, rolling Bass onto his stomach. Bass used the momentum to rise, kicking Jann in the gut. As Jann doubled over, Bass grabbed him, lifting him high into the air, for a Powerbomb. Bass turned to face the wall, then slammed Jann right into it, another explosion occuring, then allowing him to drop to the floor. Jann Lee lied there momentarily then got up again, his back to the wall. Without warning, Jann hopped into the air, with 2 kicks which lifted Bass and knocked him back some. Just as Bass started recovering, Jann started a run, leaping into the air. Jann let out a fierce cry, nailing Bass in the face with a powerful Dragon Kick. The force from the kick knocked Bass's sunglasses clean off. Bass snapped backwards, landing on the ground face first. Jann then jumped into the air once more, landing in the middle of Bass's back. He let out another battle cry, shifting his feet in Bass's back before jumping off. Jann Lee won the fight. The crowd cheered, especially the female members. The gate opened as Jann left the ring. Bass had a little trouble getting up, but with the help of a couple security guards dressed in black, he was on his feet, leaving the ring too.

Eric folded his arms, a grin on his face. He looked at Ren.

"Man, Jann Lee is the best! He should win the whole thing!"

"I don't know about all that....we've only seen two fighters so far. Let's see how the others are."

By this time, another figure had appeared on the walkway. This figure was lean, streamlined. She walked to the ring, spotlights shining on her while her theme song came on. It was Tina Armstrong. This time, the males went crazy. Tina was wearing her wrestler outfit, black leather bra and panties,  silver boots and a silver sleeveless jacket. Connected from each wrist to the elbow was a silver piece of material, with long silver streamers that hung down from them. Tina beamed, waving to the crowd. Jessica cocked an eyebrow, looking at Tony, Ren and Eric. She sighed, hands on hips. Leon came out, wearing a black tanktop, red pants, and black dress shoes. He also wore a pair of expensive black sunglasses. He got into his Russian style fighting stance, as the gate closed again.

Leon approached Tina, moving slowly. He then attacked with two quick jabs. Tina ducked under the first, grabbing the second. She planted her feet firmly into his side, falling back to roll on her shoulders and upper back. This sent Leon's head straight into the metal floor with a clang. Both fighters got up at the same time, Tina quickly planting both feet into Leon's chest in a drop kick. She seemed determined to win, even though her father wasn't so lucky just a few minutes ago. Leon rose, dodging a swift jab to the head, countering with a sudden tackle. Leon followed up with 4 mounted punches, each aimed for Tina's head. Tina pushed Leon off of her, rising into her own tackle. From this postiton, she clutched Leon's legs, spinning him round and round in a Giant Swing. After gaining enough momentum, she let go, Leon sailing straight into the fence. He collided with a forceful explosion, slumping to the ground in a sitting postion. He sat there for a moment, as Tina posed for the crowd.

"_Rolande.....I won't let you down!_"

Leon got up, Tina turning her attention back to him. Leon stuck out with a backhand which hit Tina in the cheek. She recovered with a jump kick, which knocked Leon into the air. While he was airborne, she grabbed him, slamming him to the floor in a Powerbomb. He got up, lunging out with a side kick that sent Tina sprawling, giving him some space. The two fighters then ran at each other, both stretching their arms out for a clothesline at the exact same instant. Both clotheslines hit their targets, as Tina and Leon fell to the ground. This fight was classified as a double K.O. Both were relatively uninjured enough to get up again, and leave the ring. The crowd still cheered for Tina, even though she didn't officially "win" this fight. Tony grinned, folding his arms.

"That was a good fight!"

Ren nodded, though Jessica looked at them sternly.

"...Were you even watching the fighting...?"

Tony chuckled nervously.

"Well...of course! Besides, one more fight's left!"

Another figure appeared through the smoke, this one even smaller. She walked to the ring, her long brown hair flowing freely behind her. It was Kasumi. She wore a white kunoichi outfit, with red trim. Ren was awestruck. He _couldn't _take his eyes off the girl. He suddenly wanted her to defeat whatever they put in front of her. Her opponent followed behind, her slightly darker brown hair also flowing behind her. This was Hitomi. She wore a white karate gi, with a Phoenix insignia on the back. Under the gi, she also wore a white shirt, the same phoenix design on it. Both fighters entered the ring, the gate closing one last time. Hitomi bowed to Kasumi, who followed suit. The girls took fighting stances, the final fight began.

Hitomi attacked first, a high kick. Kasumi grabbed the leg, while hopping up to jumpkick Hitomi in the face. Hitomi quickly rebounded, with two punches to the gut, followed by a power punch to the same area. Kasumi flew back, crashing into the wall. She got up, seemingly unfazed. As Hitomi approached, Kasumi striking with 2 quick punches at the face. Hitomi's hands shot up to cover her face, but Kasumi grabbed one, swinging Hitomi back into the wall she just came from, adding a spinning side kick to Hitomi's gut to trigger an explosion from the wall. Hitomi fell to one knee, one arm still leaning against the wall for support. She breathed heavily, one hand closing into a fist. She got up dodging a spinning roundhouse from Kasumi. At that moment, she leapt into the air with a powerful spin kick, sending Kasumi's back into the wall again. Hitomi didn't let up, punching Kasumi two more times in the stomach, following with a knee to the stomach. Each hit triggered an explosion. Hitomi grinned, stepping back. Kasumi almost instantly rose without warning, jumped into the air, placing both feet on Hitomi's face. Kasumi then stomped down several times, each stomp bringing Hitomi closer to the ground. Kasumi finally stepped off, waiting for Hitomi to rise. Ren noticed Kasumi make a strange movement with one of her hands as Hitomi rose. Hitomi unleashed an angered power punch, aimed for Kasumi's nose. Though right before impact, Kasumi wasn't even there! A few cherry blossom leaves appeared, and Kasumi ended up behind her! Ren went wide-eyed.

"What the...!?"

Kasumi grabbed Hitomi's neck, rolling backward until Hitomi was face down on the ground, Kasumi sitting on her back. Kasumi raised an arm, chopping at a specific spot in Hitomi's neck. Jessica had a panicked look, to go with her voice.

"She killed her!"

Ren shook his head.

"No she didn't. If she did, she'd be disqualified."

 Kasumi got up, turning her back. She hadn't killed her, only knocked her unconscious. As a matter of fact, Hitomi had regained consciousness already. She sat up, realizing that she lost. She frowned, punching at the ground. Ren stared at Kasumi once again, as she looked out to the crowd. Eventually, her gaze fell on him. Ren leaned forward, staring blankly as Kasumi locked eyes with him. Kasumi showed a light smile, and waved. Ren nearly fell out of his seat, but managed to smile back. Jessica scowled at him, punching him in the arm.

"What's the matter with you!?!?"

Kasumi turned to Hitomi, helping her up. They both left the ring together, Hitomi still managing to smile. At least she wasn't eliminated entirely from the tournament. She'd have a chance to redeem herself later on. Ren suddenly got up enthusiastically as people began to file out, taking his backstage pass from a jacket pocket. The others looked at him, furrowing their brows at almost the exact same time.

"Hey....we got passes, right? Let's go back there and meet the tournament fighters!"

Jessica folded her arms, looking away.

"Sure....but I know there's only one that you want to meet..."


	5. Aftermath

Author's Note: Once again, sorry for the lengthy delay. But, I do intend to continue this. First though, I wanna say thanks to Chibs and Steven Hopkins for the reviews. The reviewers are the people that keep these stroies goin'! (Chibs, I KNEW you'd like it...:p ) Anywayz, on with the story! ^_^

**Chapter 5:**

Aftermath 

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Ren and the others finally left the main area of the Octagon, heading through the throngs of fans, heading toward the backstage area. Jessica had her arms folded the whole time. She glanced at Ren repeatedly, noticing his seemingly overjoyed facial expressions.

"Is that goofy grin permanent or something?"

Ren's smile became a bit more nervous, as he scratched at his hair. He chuckled lightly, trying to look cool.

"Um...heh...I'm just excited, that's all."

"Yeah...I can _tell_ that much." Jessica turned up her chin, uttering a small "hmph". Attempting to break the awkward feeling, Tony walked alongside Ren.

"Man, that was some intense fighting back there, huh!? The best I've ever seen!"

Ren smirked, partly relieved that Jessica had finally laid off him for a minute.

"Yeah. Every match was exciting. They were all top-notch fighters."

"Who was your favorite?"

"I think it was that ninja girl....Kasumi."

Ren's eyes widened when he said Kasumi's name, and he almost immediately wished he could take the words back. He could literally feel Jessica's ice-cold glare piercing right through his back, even though she decided to keep her mouth shut. 

"Leon was alright....and I kinda liked Hitomi's style of Karate." 

"Jann Lee was the best one. He used Jeet Kune Do." Eric claimed.

"Meh, Jann was OK." Ren said with a faint grin. Jann did fight exceptionally well...it would be interesting to meet him, Ren thought.

By this time, the group had reached the backstage entrance.

"Mr. Hokunaki? You've got the camera, right?" Tony asked. Ren's Grandfather nodded. The man guarding the entrance wore an expensive looking black suit, complete with black sunglasses and a headset. He asked for identification, and Ren happily flashed his backstage pass, followed by the others. The guard stepped aside, and they went in. The entrance area was modestly decorated, doors were toward the back of the room, with some DOA memorabillia postered on the walls.

"Where is everyone?" Ren turned to ask the guard.

"That door on the left." came the burly man's reply.

Ren nodded, nearly dashing for the door. He knocked, and Tina answered.

"Well, hey there! You guys here to see us? Come in, come in!"

Ren and co. entered, immersed into a large, lavishly decorated area. There was leather furniture ling each wall, gold plated chandeliers, elaborate lamps, and a fully decked entertainment system. Leon stood, arms folded, leaning up against one of the walls. He nodded in the group's direction. Hitomi sat on one of the couches, she rose to greet the group, her blue eyes sparkling.

"Hiya! What's your names?"

Ren stepped forward, answering for the group.

"I'm Ren Hokunaki, this is Eric, Tony, and Jessica. Oh, and that guy's my Grandpa."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance." Ren's grandfather said with a smile. Hitomi extended her hand, and Ren shook it. Her grip was suprisingly strong, Ren thought. She greeted everyone else, then Tina followed suit. Ren noticed that both girls had made a change of clothes, Tina now wearing a blue midriff shirt with zebra-print pants, Hitomi wearing her denim outfit along with her Phoenix T-shirt under the jacket. Suddenly, Ren heard a gruff voice bark from some adjacent part of the room.

"TIIIINAA!!"

"Umm...is that....?" Tony mumbled.

"Here I come, daddy!" Tina called. "Oh, you all have to meet my daddy."

Ren's face contorted a bit. Meeting Bass wasn't too high on his priority list, but he agreed to anyway. Tina led them through a hallway at the side of the room, into a smaller room where Bass sat. He held an icepack to his head, still looking like he was in a bit of pain since his match with Jann. Though he smiled broadly when he saw the group.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Armstrong." Ren said, before raising an eyebrow just a bit. "...You alright?"

"Yeah. This is nothin'! I'll be back to normal in a couple days or so."

The group went back into the main part of the leisure room, everyone being seated except for Ren. 

"Where's the rest of the tournament fighters?" He inquired.

"Well," Hitomi started, "Jann Lee is over there, closer toward the back part of the room. But-" 

Eric walked off before Hitomi could even finish, dragging Ren along, eager to meet Jann Lee. Ren couldn't complain, he wanted to see the beautiful kunoichi Kasumi. The two discovered that the leisure room was even larger than he originally thought, and was split into two rooms by a thin dividing wall with a door. They walked through, exploring the room. After a while, Eric spotted Jann, standing with his back to the room, looking out one of the windows. Ren froze, as Jann quickly turned to look over his shoulder. Jann gazed at both of them, in his trademark icy glare. He stared a Eric for a few moments, Eric's mouth agape, as a few words tried to force themselves through his mouth. Then, Jann turned his gaze to Ren, and the two stared at each other for what felt like an hour to Ren. Ren could _feel_ Jann Lee's aura, his pure fighting spirit. He was sure Eric could feel it too.... Jann Lee's face remained motionless, though it seemed he felt something similar. Eric finally found the words, and spoke up.

"So, you're Jann Lee...! I'm so glad to meet you. You fought really well..."

Jann simply nodded, the movement just barely enough to notice. 

"...Um, you guys gonna just stand there and have a staring contest, or what?" It was Tina. She and Hitomi peeked into the room from the doorway. Jann Lee shook his head, mumbling something under his breath. He then turned, walking past Ren and Eric, to the rear exit, without a word. Jann glanced at Ren once more, before leaving. Tina just shook her head slowly. Leon walked out a few moments later.

"I must leave as well. I'm sure Jann Lee is leaving to further his training before the next round of the tournament begins. I must train also. _For Rolande's sake..._" he barely whispered. "Farewell."

"Sheesh...a couple sticks in the mud..." Tina muttered.

"Yeah..." Hitomi agreed with a shrug.

"But that's how they always are.....especially Jann Lee. He thinks he's the greatest fighter of all time, I think."

They both giggled for a moment or two.

Ren and Eric walked back to meet the girls, and they all walked back together to the rest of the group.

"Hitomi...?" Ren began.

"Hmm?"

"Where's Ka-"

"Kasumi? She left already."

"NANI!?!?" Ren's facial expression could only be described as pure shock, with a good deal of dissapointment mixed in.

 "I was gonna tell you, but you didn't let me! You walked off..." Eric, Tony, and Jessica all proceeded to explode simultaneously into laughter on sight of Ren's expression. Tina and Hitomi eventually joined, and even Ren's grandfather chuckled a bit.

"That gal can move!" Tina chimed in. "She's probably halfway to Japan by now."

Ren's ears perked up. She was heading back to Japan?? It was almost too good to be true. His face lit up with hope once again, to the suprise of everyone else.

"The next round of the tournament is in Japan?" Ren asked gleefully. Jessica eyed Ren suspiciously, but once again remained silent.

"Yeah...at least her division. Some of us are heading to China, and some to South America for the next round. Her division's next round is in Japan."

Ren was ecstactic. He couldn't wait to get to Japan!

"Why so happy?" Tina asked.

"Well...I'm going to Japan to participate in a tournament, representing my martial arts school. Maybe I'll be able to watch the next round of the DOA Tournament while I'm there!"

"You're a fighter!? Cool! What style?" Hitomi asked.

"Kenpo. Jessica and I. Tony's more into Muay Thai. Eric uses Jeet Kune Do." Ren replied.

"Hm. Eric, you'd get along with Jann Lee just fine... I've seen some Kenpo fighters, but none are in the DOA tournament...heh, maybe you should try out for the next one! Maybe we'd get to go up against each other." Hitomi's eyes showed eagerness, her words too. Ren could feel her fighting spirit too. Even Tina's.

"Heh....not a bad idea...I wonder if I'd be able to contend with you guys."

"Go for it!' Tina exclaimed with a wink. "I know you'd do great."

"Thanks. It's definitely something to think about." Ren mused.

"Hey! Let's take some pictures!" Tony said.

"Great idea." Tina said. Ren's grandfather took out the camera, and they proceeded to pose and take many pictures. For one of the last photos, Tina playfully grabbed Ren's neck, putting him into a headlock just as the camera flashed.

"HEY! No fair!" he exclaimed.

"That'll make a great picture..." Jessica said with a giggle.

"Yeah. Can't wait to see it." Ren muttered sarcastically.

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Back at the hotel, Ren laid back on his bed. He propped his head up placing both arms behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. It was probably close to 2 a.m., everyone seemed fast asleep. Everyone but him. He couldn't get Kasumi off his mind. Why!? He just kept thinking about how she smiled at him at the Octagon. Her perfect smile....he just _had_ to meet her! He closed his eyes, slowly drifting into sleep.

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Ren was in a dense forest. Trees and green leaves were everywhere. Lush green grass rolled on in every direction, like a green capet. Ren looked up, he saw the pale light of a full moon shining down from a starry sky. The wind blew softly, caressed his face. He closed his eyes. He felt...peaceful. However, the forest sounded just a little too quiet. For a moment, all was silent. He looked around, trying to make sure there was no trouble. Then, out the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of blue, almost too quick for him to catch. It passed, Ren hearing the sound of light footsteps. Must be a person. Ren looked behind him, but the blur was already long gone.

"Hey.....wait!!"

 He ran, heading in the direction he thought he saw the person go. Man, whoever it was, was** fast**. Ren could still faintly hear the footsteps, but they were way ahead. He didn't give up. Eventually, Ren reached a clearing in the forest. He slowed to a trot, looking attentively at every detail of the area for signs of the person. Then, he saw a silhouette.....the figure of a woman. He walked toward it at first, breaking into a run. But before he could reach the figure, there was a bright flash of white.....

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Ren awoke to bright daylight. He groaned. Only a dream. Reaching over, he looked for his watch. 11:35 a.m. Today would be the last day of their trip.

The second day of the trip to New York was simply a blur for Ren. They'd rose slightly late in the morning, and went out for breakfast. Ren had trouble eating. After breakfast, they tooled around the city in various cabs, seeing the sights. They visited a couple museums, Times Square, saw the Statue of Liberty. All this stuff was ok, but Ren wasn't truly concerned with it. All he could think about was going to Japan. And meeting her....

Finally late afternoon arrived, and it was time for them to head back to the airport. After packing their things, they checked out of the hotel, and within a couple hours, were on the plane headed back home. 


	6. The Journey Begins

**Chapter 6:**

**The Journey Begins...**

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There was still some down time to spend before the trip to Japan. An excellent time to catch up on training, Ren figured. Every morning, he vowed to himself to awake early, and jump right into his regime. This was the only way he'd be in good enough condition to even consider entering the coming tournament. He'd be representing his entire Martial Arts school.... it will be up to him and him alone to show the world what his School's style of Kenpo was all about. And so, he praticed. He'd head out into the backyard, and work on every move in his repertoire, over and over again, almost like a robot. He wouldn't stop until he'd gotten the forms just right, the motions down, and all his forceful energies to the points of impact. This rigorous activity continued for 2 weeks. Though the whole time he trained, he had the ninja girl on his mind... sometimes it was difficult for him to maintain his focus.  One day, while Ren was out in the field, working on a type of kick he'd developed, his grandfather called him back into the house. Ren grabbed a dry towel, throwing it about his neck as he stood before the old man.

"Ren.... I know you're working hard to train your mind, spirit, and body for the upcoming events. I know you're ready.... ready to show them who you are. Before that, though, please allow me to give you some words of advice. Remember to keep your thoughts clear... an unfocused mind leads to an unsatisfatory performance, as I'm sure you've already proved to yourself at the last tournament. You'll be fighting all alone....your friends will be nowhere near. If you win, you'll have quite a story to tell when you come back, yes?"

"Of course!" Ren answered with a grin.

"Now, why don't you take a break from your training to relax your mind?"

Ren shrugged, nodding slightly. "Sure. I've done just about all the training I can do... nothing left to do but wait."

"And....make sure you pack enough things to last you for a while."

"Ok..." Ren said, slightly unsure. Just _how long_ would this trip be anyway, he wondered? After double-checking his suitcases, Ren went back to the living room.

"Everything's set."

"Good." 

And so the two of them spent time together. Most of the time, they just sat quietly together, meditating or just spending the time recreationally.

On the last day, Eric, Tony and Jessica showed up at his house, brought by Eric's father. They arrived less than an hour before the time Ren needed to leave.

"We wanted to go to the airport with you... to see you off." Jessica explained simply. Ren nodded understandingly. This would be the last time he would see his friends for a while....he wasn't even sure how long. It would be best for them to be along. Before going, Ren made sore his wore one of his School's T-shirts under his green one, for luck perhaps. He also wore baggy blue jeans, and his favorite gym shoes. Shortly, the time came for them to leave. Everything and everyone was packed into both cars, and soon enough they were on the way to the airport at just past 11:00 a.m. Even though this would be one of the last times they'd be together for some time, Ren and the rest stayed mostly silent, until they reached the airport.

"Alright, we've got an hour till the plane leaves Ren, better start heading toward the gate."

So they moved through the crowds of people, as the airport was typically busy this time of year. The group eventually reached their gate, after going though the preliminary security checks. Ren, Eric, Tony, and Jessica all huddled together one last time, saying their goodbyes as Ren's grandfater and Eric's father looked on. Eric's father nodded to him, as Ren's grandfather moved closer toward the gate. The time to board the plane was nigh. Ren turned slowly, seemingly not wanting to let his friends leave his sight. Then, as though on impulse, Jessica dashed over to him, tightly embracing him in a fierce hug. Ren hugged back, and he could feel her shoulders heaving slightly, could hear slight whimpers. Was she crying?

"You better win that tournament." was all she said, as she parted from him, Ren finally boarding the plane. The two found their seats, and a little while later, the plane was off into motion, starting to cross the Pacific.

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It was going to be a **long **flight. And for the majority of it, Ren's grandfather remained oddly quiet. Ren found the silence somewhat disturbing....but no matter, they were actually on the way to Japan!! Finally, the time he'd waited so long for was upon him! But, he still had a couple questions.

"Grandpa... where exactly are we staying? Is there another hotel?"

"No...not this time. There was a hotel room offered, but we will not be taking advantage of it."

"Then....where will we stay...?"

"You will see for yourself when we get there." Ren's grandfather replied with a grin.

"Aw, come on!! Will I at least _like_ the place?"

"Heh....I'm sure you will."

_"What exactly is this all about...?"_ Ren mused to himself. Little did he know what awaited him in the Land of the Rising Sun....

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What seemed like an eternity later, the aircraft touched down at Narita airport, only about 70 kms away from Japan's main city,Tokyo. Ren looked out the veiw window in complete awe at the new surroundings. It was still early morning, actually the day following their departure from America. Ren couldn't wait to get off the plane and into the streets.

They made their way through the airport, through customs and to baggage claim, finally hailing down a taxi which pulled up quickly beside them. They placed the baggage in the trunk. The back door popped open automatically, the two of them hopping in. The cabbie looked back at them awaiting his directions with a cheerful smile, which was just one of many Ren would see. Ren's grandfather leaned forward, whispering something in japanese to the cabbie. Ren tried to deciper, but it was too difficult given the low, quick-paced tone. The cabbie nodded as the door shut, and they were on the way, heading through all sorts of narrow streets, overpasses, and roads.

"We're going to have to head west, and get on a freeway just to get into the city, the place is on the other side of Tokyo." The old man explained.

"So, in other words, we've got a long car ride to sit through." Ren groaned. Tokyo was a big city.... well known for how easily congestions could develop in the streets. At least he'd have plenty of time to take in all the sights. To Ren, everything about this place seemed efficient. Everything was cool. Even the way they drove on the left side of the street. While they did get caught in a few traffic jams, it never got too convoluted. It wouldn't be rush hour for a while. About 4 hours or so later, they were on the western outskirts of the city, where there was slightly less concrete. They came along a winding road, stopping in front of a moderately old looking small/mid sized house, though it still looked to be in good condition. Ren's grandfather smirked.

"This is it."

"...Are you serious!?"

They got out, taking their bags and paying the cabbie.

"Doumo arigatou gozaimashita!" *Thanks for everything! The cabbie said in a friendly tone. Then he waved from down the street, before turning back toward the city again. The place still looked really nice. There was a really expansive field in the back, with a path that lead into a forest, which strecthed over miles and miles of terrain, even over mountains in the distance. That would make excellent training grounds, Ren thought to himself. Heh, training, deep in the mountain forests, like some warrior monk or something...and not another soul to bother him....

 The two went inside, Ren observing just about every square inch of the place in amazement. "You like it?"

"It's great!" Ren exclaimed.

"Now, get settled. There's a room down that hallway and to the right. It will be yours."

"Excellent." Ren headed down the hall, noting the traditional style paper doors. It was like being in a movie set or something. Ren threw his bags down on the bed and began to unpack. He'd have a couple days to get settled, and then the tournament would start. Ren spent the remainder of the day simply exploring the area outside, but never straying to far from the house. The next day, while Ren was out in the summer sun again, Ren's grandfather called to him.

"I've got something for you."

"What's up?"

"Listen, I know you're birthday is coming up. You're growing into a young man."

Ren allowed a small smirk. It was true. He'd be 16 in a couple more weeks.

"And so, I have a gift for you. But, I think I'll give it to you a little early."

The old man went into a shed outside the house, coming back with an oblong wooden box in his arms.

"Take it." He extended it to Ren, who gazed at it in wonder.

"What is it?" Ren asked quite curiously.

"Open it and see." His grandfather explained, a twinge of mystery hidden in his voice.

So Ren did, carefully removing the lid. Inside was a black sheath, with some decorative silver painted japanese kanji characters along the sides. There was also a katana inside the sheath. Ren unsheathed it by it's black-chord and silver-plating diamond-patterned handle.The shimmering blade caught a glint of sunlight, reflecting into Ren's eyes momentarily. He squinted, the pulled it out fully. The blade was a majestic silver, seeming to almost "glow" as held it out in front of him. There were also kanji characters inscribed in the handle, and even along a side of the razor-sharp blade itself. Ren smirked, swinging it through the air a few times, fascinated by the slight whistling sound it made if he swung it fast. He put it back in the sheath, finally looking back at his grandfather.

"It's _awesome._" was all Ren could say, still cradling the sword and sheath in his arms.

"It is called Lighthawk. It belongs to you now, Hokunaki Ren."

"Lighthawk...." 


	7. Destiny?

**Chapter 7:**

**Destiny?**

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Nightfall. The forest falls into an unsettling silence, as only a few sets of light footsteps can barely be heard racing over the trees and through the underbrush. Four mysterious silhouettes, almost dancing in the winds, covering miles of terrain in a very short time, and never seeming to grow tired. Upon reaching a small shrine, they stopped their race, all heading in, single file. Many more silhouettes stood at both ends of the shrine, none moving. The four walked forward, past them all, to two figures at the front, one of them male, taller than the other. Upon reaching these two figures, the four halted, quickly kneeling down.

"Hayate-sama..."

"What is the field report?" Hayate responded swiftly.

"We haven't pinpointed the runaway's exact location yet, but we are certain that she is present."

"I see." The man turned to the woman at his side, folding his arms before he spoke again.

"Ayane....the next round of the third Dead or Alive Tournament is set to begin. According to the rules, you are to meet her tomorrow morning for a match in the southwestern section of the forest. You know what to do."

"Wakari." *Understood. came Ayane's reply, simple and cold in tone. Ayane smirked to herself, her reddish-orange eyes filled with anticipation. She would be sure to enjoy every moment of the fight. Finally, a chance to finish off that stupid runaway! Then there would be no obstructions left in her path....

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Ren woke up groggily the next morning. The tournament would be starting today... but he was ready for them. All of them.... even that bastard Max. Ren wore a plain white shirt, black jeans, some gray gym shoes. It was.... 9:06 a.m. The tournament was scheduled to start at 11:30. There was still a little time left, though it would take a while for them to get back into the city, where the tournament would be taking place.

"Got time for breakfast?" Ren's grandfather asked from the kitchen.

"Barely." Ren grabbed a piece of toast, stuffing it into his mouth, seeming to swallow it almost whole. He took up his black duffel bag, and stood impatiently at the door.

"Let's go!"

"Alright, alright..." The old man emerged from the kitchen, and they left the house, Ren eager to get back to Tokyo.

"Are we gonna have to catch a cab again?" Ren asked.

"That's right... but, it's already been pre-arranged. Transportation to and from the tournament site is provided for us. So, we don't have to pay every day."

"Oh. cool."

They walked together down the winding road, until they got to one of the main roads. Upon getting there, a cab was waiting nearby, but it was all-black, as opposed to the typical red-and-white. Ren put his bag into the trunk, and they both got in. Ren's grandfather spoke to the cabbie.

"We're trying to get to the Youth International Martial Arts Tournament..."

"Oh! The kid's gonna enter!? He looks strong!" The cabbie said, glancing back at Ren.

"...You know where it is?"

"Yeah! Of course, of course, I'll get you there in no time!"

The taxi sped off, heading east. Ren was supriesd, as it didn't seem to take nearly as long to get back into Tokyo as it was when they first arrived. Within an hour, they'd pulled up to a tall, silver building.

"The Tournament's being held on the 10th floor. There's a big dojo up there. Oh, and Mr. Hokunaki, there will be another cab like this one here to take you back home, free of charge." The cabbie said.

"Thanks." Ren replied as he took his duffle from the trunk. "Let's head in." 

"Ganbatte ne!" *Do your best! The cabbie called out before driving off.

So they walked in. Once entering, they saw all kinds of advertisements for the tournament. There were banners hanging from ceilings, flyers posted up on walls, and signs everywhere.

"...At least we know we came to the right building..." Ren said incredulously.

The two found an elevator, and rode it up to the 10th floor. The elevator door opened to a hallway, littered with torches and golden statues. At the end of it, they came to the actual dojo, which was suprisingly large. There were several mats laid out in the main area, and many students from different schools loitering on the floor. There were 4 sets of spectator stands, lining each wall of the gigantic room. These stands were filling, slowly, but steadily. Ren even saw a few familiar faces from the last tournament. He headed for the locker room at the other end to get changed, while his grandfather found a seat in the stands. A few minutes later, Ren emerged in his Martial Arts School's traditional white gi, just in time as the students began to assemble, sitting down all around the room. Ren found his assigned spot, and was able to locate his grandfather fairly quickly in the crowd, despite the fact that the room filled fairly quickly. Several older men stood at the north end of the room who seemed to be the ones who would set things into motion.

Finally, the room grew quiet. One of the men, a balding fellow with glasses stepped forward, with a microphone. 

"Thank you all for being in attendance. Now, let the tournament begin! As you can see, there are five mats located around the room, so logically, there will be five matches in progress at the same time, until we reach the semi-finals. Now, the first ten combatants, please stand! The announcer proceeded to read off a list of names, and Ren's was one of them. He stood, and was told to go to mat #4. Upon getting there, he saw the boy who would be his first opponent. He was about the same size, maybe an inch or two taller than Ren. He looked American. The boys bowed to each other, and took stances. The preliminary matches were set to begin.

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The leaves in this part of the forest turned red pretty quickly, Ayane thought as she sat in a tree, waiting for her sister to arrive. She watched as a few orange leaves drifted lazily into the stream a short distance away, where they were carried along by the currents. She wore her dark purple and black kunoichi outfit, with the gold decorations on the black jacket, and a black headband tied around her head. She blew a few wisps of her lavender hair from her face. While she tried to stay calm, she was aching to get into battle. What was taking so long, anyway? Did Kasumi chicken out or something? Just as Ayane started to get bored, she spotted Kasumi wearing her typical blue kunoichi outfit with the white stockings, her reddish brown hair tied into a loose ponytail. Kasumi walked toward her, a somewhat difficult to describe look in her eyes. Ayane couldn't wait any longer. She wanted action, NOW. She leapt from the tree, a mischeivous smirk on her face as she neared Kasumi. Ayane lashed out with a quick kick, which Kasumi dodged by rolling to the side, though Ayane landed effortlessly and was instantly upon her, attacking with swift palm strikes. Kasumi blocked them all, jumping away in a flip to regain her composure. She stood still after landing, still facing away from Ayane, though she looked over her shoulder before turning to face her opponent. Ayane stood firm, pointing an accusing finger, speaking in her cold, unfeeling tone.

"I find it hard to believe that you are a runaway shinobi! See Hayate-sama, if that is what you wish."

Kasumi remained motionless, the wind playing at her long hair. She maintained eye contact with Ayane, her face emotionless.

"I will see him."

Ayane's eyes narrowed, her smirk turning into a scowl as she made a fist.

"I will kill Genra, and no one will stop me. I cannot let you have this one."

The girls took on their identical fighting stances, each waiting for the other to make a move. Ayane, still the aggressor, lunged forward, with two swift mid palm attacks. Kasumi blocked the first without much trouble, but the second came unexpectedly, like a rigid uppercut, taking Kasumi by suprise. She was lifted a few inches from the ground, Ayane continuing the assault with a vicious mid kick to Kasumi's exposed torso. Kasumi fell back from the impact, though quickly rolled onto her feet. Ayane attacked again with a high kick, a look of both hatred and amusement mixed into her eyes. Kasumi caught it, hopping up into the air to nail Ayane square in the nose with a jumping kick. Ayane hit the forest floor hard, but retaliated with a sweeping low kick, which Kasumi hopped over to dodge. Ayane then spun quickly, releasing a powerful roundhouse kick. Kasumi ducked under this. Though, Ayane continued to spin, jumping into the air and extending her legs horizontally to wrap them around Kasumi's neck. Ayane twisted in mid-air, bringing Kasumi down headfirst. Kasumi let out a brief painful yelp, which Ayane enjoyed dearly. Finally getting up Ayane waited for Kasumi to rise again. She did, quickly attacking with 2 swift jabs to Ayane's face, which were too quick to dodge. Ayane took them, but caught Kasumi's third punch, which was aimed at the midsection, tossing the arm over her shoulder while jumping to throw Kasumi to the ground, landing in a roll on top of her. Ayane rolled into a standing position, though she faced away from Kasumi. Kasumi got up suprisingly quickly, leaping into the air to deliver two forceful spin kicks, one aimed to the back of Ayane's head, the other at her mid-back. The second kick sent Ayane flying, to collide directly with a tree, her body bouncing down the small hill and into the stream. At this, Kasumi stopped, deciding that the fight was over. She turned away, as many cherry blossom leaves appeared around her.

Ayane rose from the stream on hands and knees, panting heavily, still looking down, water dripping down from her face.

"Wait....THIS ISN'T OVER YET!" She yelled, anger rising rapidly in her voice.

Kasumi looked back at her momentarily, but began a quick spin, beginning to depart.

"I must see Hayate..." she said simply, before vanishing completely in a swirl of leaves.

Ayane was outraged. She pounded her fists, kicking up splashes of water.

"Damn it! ...I'll get her yet...."

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Ren dodged several swift punches, almost effortlessly. He grabbed one, attacking the boy fiercely with a power punch to the chest. The boy had the wind knocked out of him, and landed outside of the mat. Bah, what did he expect? The first few matches were always the easiest. Ren plowed through five more contestants, almost the same way. Finally, the first round of the tournament had come to an end, Ren standing undefeated. The announcers congratulated him, and all the other boys who would be returning for the quarterfinals. Then Ren saw his rival, staring at him the same way that he always did.... with that stupid goofball grin on his face, Ren thought angrily. Max had been undefeated too. Ren narrowed his eyes, hoping that Max would indeed remain undefeated until the finals, so that he could finally have revenge. It would be worth the wait. Ren changed back into his normal clothes, he and his grandfather leaving the dojo. As promised, there was another black taxi outside, waiting to take them home. On the ride back, Ren's grandfather smiled at him.

"You did great. I wouldn't be suprised if you won this whole thing without breaking a sweat."

"Yeah..." Ren replied, only half-attentive.

 For the rest of the ride, Ren remained silent. Later, back at the house, Ren decided he'd do more training. He'd need to be prepared to face MAx, if need be.  He went to his grandfather.

"Grandpa...is it ok if I head into the forest to train?"

"Sure...that forest is a great place to hone your skills."

And so, Ren took Lighthawk, strapping it onto his back.He glanced into a mirror at himself, dressed in a simple black training outfit. The outfit and the sword on his back looked cool.....almost made him look like... some kind of ninja or something. Heh, him, a ninja... he smirked at the thought.

He made his way onto the path, heading deep into the thick of forest just as the sun was beginning to set. The orange light shone through the treetops, creating a sort of serene look to the place. After coming upon a small clearing some time later, he decided that it was a good enough area to begin training. He set up a few wooden targets made of tree branches and short logs on the ground, and unsheathed the sword. He looked at it, then attacked at his targets. He was suprised at how easy it was to slice Lighthawk through everything, even without much force or effort on his part. The blade cut cleanly, cleaving everything he swung it at in two. After his little sword exercise, he but the sword back in the sheath, sitting it against a tree stump as he took a brief rest. The sun had almost set completely by now, only a few red rays still coming from the horizon. Ren then worked on his Kenpo techniques, punches and kicks, evasive moves. He did this for another couple hours, until it was dark. Just as he was getting tired, he heard a small sound, or at least, _thought_ he heard it. It sounded as though a small branch had snapped under someone's weight. He looked around, but saw nothing. Then, right before he passed it off as nothing, he saw a flash of something out of the corner of his eye, followed by barely audible footsteps. It was too hard to tell exactly how many there were, but Ren wanted to know what was going on. He took up the sword, throwing it on his back as he ran full speed toward where he saw the object go by. Even though it was hard to hear, it sounded as though the footsteps were getting father away, despite Ren's running at top speed. They were moving **fast. **Ren reached another clearing, where he was suddenly reminded of his dream. Everything was playing out, just like in that dream he'd had in New York. But, he couldn't see the figure from the dream anywhere. And, the footsteps had all stopped. He looked from side to side, but saw nothing out of the ordinary, no traces of anything unusual. Then, without warning, he felt a sharp pain at his back, as a somehat heavy thing overtook him, bringing him to the ground forcefully. Ren fell face first, Lighthawk being thrown from him, just out of his reach as the object landed on top of him. It was too dark to really see anything, but Ren wrestled with the figure, the two of them rolling along the ground as Ren fought, in his opinion for dear life. Finally, the figure had him pinned to the ground face up, and the two stared into each other's eyes. The dark figure spoke, in a decidedly female voice.

"You....you're the one from the Octagon!"

"What the...!?" Suddenly, it clicked. Ren sat up, staring at the girl in utter disbelief.

"You're....Kasumi...!?"


	8. Kasumi's Troubles

Author's Note: Kochan, thanks for the review! (FINALLY... j/k! ^_^) Feel free to drop another one if you like. They're always welcome. That goes for anybody else who's been reading this too; let me know what you think! I'm interested in hearing if you guys like the way the story's going. Anyway, on to Chapter 8! 

**Chapter 8:**

**Kasumi's Troubles**

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Ren was still having a hard time believing all this. Here he was, deep in some forest, and instead of spending time trying to search for the girl he saw at the Octagon, he found himself nearly being taken out by her in almost complete darkness. She rose from him, standing quickly. Ren shook his head a couple times, remaining in a sitting position, still only half-aware of what was going on.

"Ok....why'd you have to tackle me?"

Kasumi simply brought a forefinger up to her lips, signifying silence. Her eyes were narrowed, as they darted from side to side, scanning the area around them a number of times for any signs of unusual movement.

"Shh....They're still here."

"Who...?"

Ren fell silent, strapping Lighthawk onto his back, keeping his eyes on Kasumi the whole time. She looked back at him momentarily, her eyes somewhat solemn. Ren tried to focus on the environment's sounds, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Suddenly, Kasumi's eyes went wide, and she lunged for Ren's arm.

"_Come on!_" She said quietly.

 She grasped his forearm firmly, dragging him along into a run. Even though she pulled him along, Ren had a hard time keeping with her pace. He found himself nearly tripping on a few occasions, his feet almost being tangled in vines or stumbling over small rocks or uprooted trees. By this time, Ren could faintly hear a tapping sound behind them, though it seemed far away. Kasumi looked off to their right, then led them toward a lake area, where the ground they were on stopped, a drop of a couple feet beyond that. As they reached the edge, the two leaped over, Kasumi landing gracefully without a sound, though Ren's landing was slightly clumsier. Before he could fully recover, Kasumi yanked him backwards, into a small hidden alcove in the face of the cliff they just jumped from. They dashed inside, hiding deep within, covered by the darkness of shadow. Kasumi looked at him, in a look that discouraged him from speaking.

"_Just wait._"

And so they did, Ren leaning against a slightly damp, mossy wall, arms folded. Kasumi sat cross-legged, almost in a meditative position. Here they waited, Ren finding himself growing bored fairly quickly. They heard more footsteps, some farther, some closer, some very close. Ren started to feel tired, because after all, it was late. He almost yawned, but quickly stifled it by shooting a hand up to his mouth. At this moment, the footsteps stopped temporarily, Ren becoming a bit nervous. But fortunately, the footsteps finally went away. Kasumi let out a sigh of relief.

"Whew....they're gone now. We're safe."

Kasumi then stood, starting to leave the small cave, and Ren followed.

"Kasumi....what is going on?"

The kunoichi stopped at the edge of the lake, folding her arms, but keeping her back to him.

"I'm sorry to have involved you in this."

"How did you find me?"

"I'm a shinobi. Or, I used to be. Anyway, you were making lots of noise, so I thought you were one of them."

"Yeah.... I was training." At this, he reached back behind his head, scratching at his hair with a slight chuckle.

"I figured as much, with that katana you have there. You have the look of a fighter."

"But why were you being chased...? Why did you take me with you?"

"I wanted to save your life. They would've killed you if they found you, no doubt."

"Who are they?"

Kasumi sighed again, still not looking at him. He gazed intently at her. The image of her standing there at the edge of the lake, with the light of the moon at her other side filled Ren with a sense of awe. He stood only a few feet from her as she looked back at him finally, seeming to carefully judge her words, her eyes showing signs of deep thought.

"My family."

Ren stared at her incredulously.

"....Come again?"

"The Mugen Tenshin Clan....I was one of them. Matter of fact, I was next in line to lead them. But oniichan... *brother"

"What happened?"

"He was supposed to be leader before me. It's a long story....maybe I'll explain more later."

"Ok....but now they want to kill you?"

"Basically."

Ren sat down, peering into the reflective waters of the azure lake.

"So then....what will you do...?"

He looked up, back at where Kasumi was standing just a moment ago, but she was gone. Ren stood up, trying to see if he could spot her, but she was already long gone. Would he see her again...? "_Probably..._" he thought as he stared into the late again, trying to process everything that had just gone on.

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Ren only remembered the long walk back home in snatches. He also remembered having a hard time getting any sleep that night, as it was around 3 a.m. when he got home, and he had the next round of the tournament to prepare for. The quarterfinals and the semifinals would be taking place on the same day, taking from mid-morning to late afternoon or early evening. Ren's grandfather woke him early that morning, in spite of protests. After cleaning himself up and eating a light breakfast, he made sure that his gi was folded up and placed neatly into his bag. Soon, he was ready to go, already out on the street by the time his grandfather came out. They walked the short distance to the main road, the same black taxi awaited them at the curb, as promised. Ren tossed the bag into the trunk, and they were on the way. Traffic was a little heavier on the way this morning, but Ren didn't really care. All he thought about was the events of the previous night. Strangely, his grandfather didn't really say much of him coming home late.... Why was Kasumi being chased by her own clan? It didn't make sense. She must've done something really terrible.... but how could she? She didn't really strike him as the type to betray family.... hopefully he'd see her again. Then, he got an idea. He'd head back out to the spot in the forest where he'd trained before. Maybe he'd see her then...

They finalled arrived at the site, and headedback up to the 10th floor, same as before. There seemed to be more people around this time, since the stands were already filling up before the tournament started. Ren made for the locker room, changing into his gi, and heading out to the main floor to sit down. More students filed out, finding their spots, as the tournament announcers came out again.

"Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to our International martial Arts Tournament! As you all know, the quarterfinal matches are about to take place, followed by an intermission, and then the semifinals. To all of our powerful students who will be competeing today, please do your best!"

Ren looked around the floor, at the students around him. Even though only a fraction of the students who fought last time were going to actually fight. Though, it seemed that there were still quite a few in attendance. Red guessed that they were only there to spectate. Well, he'd give them a show. He sat there, smirking to himself as the names of the fighters in the first few matches were called out. It was then that something caught his eye. Way back, in one of the high back rows of the stands, sat a figure shrouded by a dark blue cloak. The cloak's hood covered the majority of the face in shadow, but Ren knew, in that instant, who it was. He just _knew._ As the light from a nearby spotlight shined briefly into that area of the crowd, the shadows covering the auburn eyes of the figure were removed, only confirming Ren's suspicion. Ren just _ had _to do his best. But, how exactly did Kasumi know to come here...? This puzzled him, until he felt someone shaking his shoulder from behind. He looked back, and some girl with brown eyes and hair was trying to get his attention.

"Aren't you Hokunaki Ren? They're calling you!"

The announcer looked at Ren curiously. He must have missed his name being called when he saw Kasumi. He rose swiftly, a small sign of embarrassment on his face. Kasumi saw this and giggled softly, covering her mouth with a dainty hand. Ren walked over to where his opponent was waiting for him, a boy who was slightly bigger than him, but looked slower. Ren looked over, and saw two more combatants, both female, ready to fight. At the other side of the room, to more fighters were meeting each other, one male, one female. Finally, near the back of the room, another two were preparing for battle, both male. Max was one of them.Upon finally reaching the mat where his fight would take place, the two warriors smirked at one another, from opposite sides of the mat. The announcer came on again.

"Now....let the matches begin! Fighters, hajime!" *begin!

The boy stood ready as Ren approached, looking prepared to parry any incoming attack and counter. Ren attacked first with a punch he wasn't really ready to throw, and as he suspected, it was deflected to the side. But, as the boy counter-punched, Ren deftly ducked under, ramming a fist into his gut. The boy stepped back, but Ren continued in a combo, punching rapidly. Some of the punches hit, and some were blocked. Though Ren was unaware of the boy's upcoming reversal, taking one of Ren's punches and yanking him toward the ground. Ren fell, but rolled when he hit the ground, directly into a powerful upward kick from his right leg, sending the boy flying to land outside the mat. Ren stood, folding his arms arrogantly.

"One down...."

Ren's match was actually the first to end, so he had to sit at the sideline, waiting for the others to finish. A few minutes later, their bouts were over, and intermission began. As people began to move about, Ren looked for his grandfather, and saw him sitting near the middle of one of the stands. He then looked toward Kasumi, and saw her gazing down at him. She smiled briefly, only the very tips of her mouth curving up slightly, barely even enough to notice, especially given the fact that she was so far away. Finally, the intermission ended as the crowd returned to their seats. It was time for the semifinals. The girl with the brown hair who had spoken to him earlier walked up to him again, all smiles.

"Nice fight! Now, though, you're up against Akiko..."

"Akiko?"

"Yeah....she's one of the toughest fighters around. She beat me without breaking a sweat!"

"Heh.... well, I'll just have to see how tough she really is, huh?"

"Hmm....it'll be a great fight for sure!" 

As promised, Ren was up against one of the girls, Hirano Akiko. Her long black hair reached to her mid-back, tied in a ponytail. She had a fierce look in her dark brown eyes, a look which told Ren that this wouldn't be quite as simple a win as all his other matches had been. She was about his height, if only a little smaller, just barely. Akiko chuckled softly, pointing an arrogant finger at Ren.

"Your little joyride ends here, Hokunaki. You may be good, but you **won't** get past me!"

Ren smirked, enjoying the moment. He folded his arms, head cocked to the side.

"Heh...we'll just see how it goes."

 They stood at both ends of the grey mat, as the annoucer came in.

"Hajime!"

As soon as the match started, this girl Akiko wasted no time in lunging into a full frontal assault, launching punches and kicks in rapid succession. Ren had to jump back, becoming more alert as each limb came flailing at him. While he was busy blocking a mid kick by crossing both arms just below the chest, he accidentally leaned forward. He realized the danger of his mistake quickly, but it was already far too late as he took a full right cross which connected cleanly with a loud smacking sound at the base of his jaw. He took a forced step backward, jolted by the impact, and even more so by the next two punches Akiko recklessly threw in this window of Ren's guard being down, one aimed at his torso and another at his chin. He finally managed to get his arms up to block another incoming fist, trying one of his own, in a desperate attempt to break up Akiko's fury. It, however was dodged, the girl sliding left into a forceful side kick which sunk into Ren's stomach, knocking him to the mat. Pretty much everyone in attendance either gasped or winced, Ren just as suprised as they that he'd been knocked down, and was getting close to losing. 

Ren lie still for a moment, contemplating what to do next. He wondered what Kasumi was thinking at that very moment. He tried to locate her face again, but it was too difficult this time, as the entire place was dark except for the spotlights which were on his match, and Max's. Akiko peered down at him, her serious eyes narrowed.

"...Giving up?"

"Heh, not just yet."

Akiko went into her stance as Ren hopped up, already on the attack again with more punches. Ren dodged most, countering by ducking low to the ground, lashing out with a sweep kick which floored the girl. As soon he he realized his trip worked, Ren dashed back, trying to recompose himself. His vision had been a little off after that little combo rush of hers connected, so he shook his head violently, until his vision cleared again. By this time, Akiko was back up, running at him, ready to strike. He dropped back once more, into a defensive stance, dodging the few punches that came out, retaliating with a swift kick aimed at the midsection, which was blocked. By this time, the aggressive girl had grown impatient, and was lashing out even more now than before, backing Ren toward the edge of the mat. Ren knew he had to do something quick, and saw his opportunity arise as his ferocius opponent prepared a spinning roundhouse kick. Ren ducked under at the last possible moment, dodging behind Akiko, who stumbled forward awkwardly after realizing that she'd missed her mark. Ren countered with a simple back facing kick, only barely edging her off the mat. After realizing that she lost, Akiko yelled aloud, stomping the ground in anger. Ren sighed contentedly, looking up at the bright spotlights, then closing his eyes, dropping to his knees. He heard the crowd clapping, his name being announced as going to the finals. A few moments later, he looked toward where Max had been fighting, and indeed the two would be up against each other in the final match of the tournament. Max grinned evilly at Ren from across the room, punching a fist into a palm threateningly. Ren could only grin back, eagerly anticipating the day their match would take place. Soon, the annoucer took his microphone, speaking once more.

"WOW! What incredible matches! These semifinals have got to be the most intense we've EVER seen! Congratulations to both our finalists, Max Wessler and Ren Hokunaki, who will be meeting each other for the final fight in one week! To both fighters: train well, and we'll see you back here next week!"

Ren finally left the mat, looking for Kasumi's face again as people started clearing out. But, there was only an empty seat where she had previously been. He sighed dissapointedly, then went to get changed. When he emerged, his grandfather met him, and they left the building together. The black cab was there, as always, ready to take them home. During the car ride, the old man patted Ren's shoulder.

"Only one more win to go...."

"That's right. I can't wait."

"Make sure you don't get lazy with your training."

"Oh, don't worry. That **definitely** won't be a problem."

Later that night, Ren made haste to the exact spot in the forest he trained at earlier, to resume where he left off. He brought Lighthawk with him. There he trained for a while, until it had grown dark. Ren checked his watch. 

"1:30 a.m..... and she hasn't shown up yet. Maybe I should try again another day...?"

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"Did you find her?" Hayate stood rigid, with arms folded. They were at the shrine.

"We were close, Hayate-sama, but she eluded us."

"Tch... worthless foot soldiers." Ayane said with a scoff. Hayate turned a stern eye to her.

"You didn't do much better....you didn't even defeat her when you had that match."

Ayane turned her head, looking away. "I could've..." she said softly.

"Regardless, this whole ordeal has been going on for far too long. As much as I hate the circumstances, something must be done."

"Hayate-sama..." one of the foot soldiers began. Hayate turned his attention from Ayane to the other ninja.

"There was....another..."

"Another...? Are you sure?"

"Hai. They fled from us together. We could sense him, could hear his footsteps along with hers. However, his aura was totally unfamiliar, we don't think he's ever been in this area before."  
"And you couldn't locate either one?"

"......Well, we found a spot that looked like it had been used for training. Some tree logs were there that looked to be cleaved through with a sword."

Ayane perked up at this news suddenly, though remained silent, an mischievous grin forming on her face.

"_Hmm.... I wonder..."_


End file.
